AGUA PRIETA. 
243 
sumed our journey. Our course continued due south 
on the Janos road, over a bare and open plain. Not 
a tree or shrub was to be seen in any direction ; a few 
straggling yuccas and cacti alone broke the monotony 
of the plain. Grama grass was abundant, and, though 
quite dry, and apparently not containing any nourish- 
ment, was eagerly eaten by our animals. The country 
consisted of an undulating prairie, with here and there 
a solitary hill of a conical form rising from it. In the 
far distance were visible short and isolated ridges of 
mountains, with abrupt sides and jagged summits. 
Passed a yucca of larger size than any we had^ seen. 
Its trunk was about ten feet high ; from which arose 
four stems of equal height, all crowned with clusters 
of white flowers. Reached Ojo de Vaca (Cow Spring), 
at half past nine o’clock, distant from our camp nine- 
teen miles; where we turned out the animals to graze. 
This spring is but a depression in the plain surrounded 
by a couple of acres of grass, resembling an oasis in a 
desert. Several holes had been dug here by passing 
emigrants, in which the water had accumulated ; 
though in some of them it had a disagreeable sulphu- 
rous taste. Nevertheless, not knowing how soon 
another opportunity would present itself, it was 
thought best to fill our kegs. To the east of this 
spring are three hills, of which the most easterly one 
is the highest. The westerly one is crowned with 
masses of granite. After waiting three hours for the 
train to come up and the mules to graze, we proceeded 
on our j ourney . 
* Pronounced Ha-nos, the first syllable strongly accented. It is 
sometimes spelt Yanos. 
